Treat Smelly Feet with These 6 Healthy Tips
Some things are a part of life no matter how unpleasant they may be. One of those things is body odor. As unpleasant as having BO can be, most body odors are able to be remedied with a change of clothes and a shower, but there are some that linger like foot odor.
Smelly feet can be a serious mood killer and a trigger for anxiety, making you want to go to bed with your shoes on for fear that your mate will catch a whiff of the au gratin baking in your Jordans. If you hide your socks at the bottom of the clothes hamper or keep your shoe rack outside, learning how to stop smelly feet from dominating your life and closet may be a top priority. However, before you run to your local pharmacy searching for a smelly feet cure, it’s important to know that the root cause of smelly feet isn’t always the same.
Smelly Feet Causes
Funk music is great! Funky tootsies are not so fabulous, and you don’t have to be an athlete to experience it. There can be different smelly feet causes, which can include:
- Hormonal Changes – Teenagers and pregnant women are particularly prone to changes in their hormones, which causes them to sweat more.
- Hyperhidrosis – Hyperhidrosis is a medical condition where a person produces more sweat than is needed to regulate their body temperature. One of the most common areas that is affected by excessive sweating are the soles of your feet.
- Fungal Infections – Tinea pedis, the medical name for athlete’s foot is a fungal infection that generally begins between the toes and bottom of the feet. Along with foot odor, the affected areas may become itchy, red, scaly, dry, cracked, or blistered.
The culprit that creates foot odor comes from bacteria – a tiny organism that’s not visible with the naked eye. This microbe loves to breed in dark, damp places, like moist socks and sweaty footwear and some can double in number every 4 minutes! The result of bacteria breaking down the sweat, skin and oil is the Cheese Doodle scent penetrating the atmosphere.
Treating Smelly Feet
Knowing the cause of where foot funk comes from may be great information, but it still doesn’t tell you how to stop smelly feet, let alone unlock the secret to a smelly feet cure. However, understanding the cause of your stinky feet may assist you when seeking a treatment, and if foot funk makes you want to kick your kicks to the curb, try these six tips to treat your smelly feet.
- Keep Your Feet Clean – Wash or scrub your feet using an antibacterial soap at least once a day. Morning and evening showers are the best time to do this.
- Keep Your Feet Dry – After washing your feet, make sure you dry your feet completely, paying particular attention to between your toes where any wetness can become a breeding ground for bacteria. Change your socks (wool or cotton) at least once a day, and if you’re in a hot environment or exercising you may need to change them more often. Wear socks that absorb moisture like socks made from natural fibers or sports socks.
- Give Your Tootsies Some Love – Create a foot soak using apple cider vinegar and Epsom salt. Clip your toenails regularly.
- Give Your Shoes Airtime – Keep two pairs of shoes that you can alternate between to let them dry completely before wearing again. Also spray your footwear with an anti-odor sports or shoe deodorizer spray to treat smelly feet. Allow your shoes to dry completely before wearing them. Wear open-toed shoes in warm weather. Going barefoot allows your feet to stay dry.
- Watch what you eat – The saying, “You are what you eat” isn’t just a cliché. What you eat can affect not only how we look, but how we smell. Eating a balanced, healthy diet can help to reduce foot odor.
These tips aren’t a permanent cure as foot odor can return, but these tips can help you to remain proactive in combating your smelly feet. For information on our shoe deodorizer spray, visit Scenturion today.